TRAVELOGUE

TRAVELOGUE is a Jazz group from Switzerland, founded by guitarist Werner Tian Fischer. The ensemble includes saxophonist Jürg Wickihalder, pianist Roberto Domeniconi, drummer Gabriel Schiltknecht, and New York-based bassist Fredi Meli.

TRAVELOGUE primarily interprets Fischer’s original jazz compositions (lyrics by Jan Krohn). The rest of their live repertoire comprises of selected jazz standards from the Great American Songbook.

Their first album “Eastbound” was recorded in Boston in 2003. A second recording took place in spring 2010 and featured Swedish vocalist Sophie Dunér. The ensuing album “Chinese Soul” was released the following year on the Swiss label Altrisuoni Records. In autumn 2011 the band toured together with vocalist/pianist Mya Audrey and bassist ‘Big John’ Zhang Ling through China and Europe.

The Travelogue composition “Bon Voyage” provided for the soundtrack of the acclaimed documentary film portrait NO FLASH. Homage to Ricardo Rangel (1924–2009) – a tribute to the work and life of the famous Mozambican photographer – which appeared in 2012 and was shown in Switzerland, Portugal, Mozambique, England, Argentina and Brazil, as well as broadcast on RTP África and on Mozambican TV.

Their latest album “Travelogue: The Light Is On” was recorded in October 2015 and released in spring 2016 on PBR Jazz, a subdivision of the Swiss label PBR Record.

“Smack Dab In The Middle” drops the listener right in the middle of the action. Blinded by the spotlights of a train taking off, you get carried away by the unstoppable playing mood of the well-rehearsed sextet, driven by the relentless swing of the rhythm group which inspires the guitarist to a first stunning solo.

The christening gift of the brand new jazz branch of the West Swiss label PBR Records SA is the third album of Werner Fischer’s Travelogue and the first with the superb singer Coco Rouzier (USA) on board.

Impressive how disciplined the musicians roll out their original compositions as well as the classics: Like a flock of fully trained racehorses, they gallop on, sheering out individually from time to time until their boisterous fervor is held back right on the beat by the strong hand of the bandleader, transferring their concentrated power to the stunned listener.

Following the kick-ass start, Randy Newman’s gloomy ballad “Baltimore” introduces a quieter stretch. Rouzier’s wonderful melancholic timbre and the relaxed attitude of the train attendants transform the grim view of the lyrics into an experience you can’t get enough of.

Our gut-feeling after the first two songs is expressed in a compliment to the band by stormproof entertainer Coco on “Wait On Love”: “The groove is just – wow – I mean it’s tight.” We agree.

A skillful instrumental revealing Fischer’s flirtation with Chinese culture is followed by the three-part “Transcendental Suite”: A deeply felt version of the 70ies classic “Everything Must Change”, followed by a brief free interlude which is dissolved by the soothing balm of “Step By Step” – a pleasant breathing exercise guided by Rouzier’s relaxed voice and accompanied by Fischer-Tian’s filigree Gibson. The suite ends with a respectful salute to the “thin white Duke” with the line “Say goodbye to ground control.”

Getting off the Transamerican Express, we hop into the waiting Space Shuttle as the pilot takes us for a ride to exoplanet Kepler 452-b, stirring our hopes for a better world. We are welcomed by the bitter sweet “Rescue Me”, a smooth bossa nova, spiced up by Jürg Wickihalder ravishingly blowing his heartache into the night.

Yet another retro flash hits us in space: After an intro resembling a slow-motion version of “Walking On The Moon“, the “Wrong Song” turns out to be a hypnotic reggae of the lasciviously intoxicated kind.

Planet earth comes within sight and we land in “A Summer’s Tale” – the continuing story of a wonderfully timeless summer, an acapella version of “Summertime” merging seamlessly into the wistful late summer-tune “Summer’s End”. Expect to hear a silver moon rise above the deserted beach club behind Roberto Domeniconi’s enchanted piano.

After the heartfelt confession of the singer, that “Jazz Is Nothin’ But Soul”, the grandiose album closes with a roguish Hammond organ on “Bringing it all back home”. The light-hearted conclusion of a wonderfully enriching journey leaving us with lasting impressions and the wish to grab your bags and start again.

Werner Tian Fischer:
It was in late 2010 when I played my first jazz gig at Beijing’s legendary cd blues café. It featured Coco Rouzier, the gutsy and soulful songstress from Washington D.C. who had travelled half of the world singing in five star hotels and on cruises. She not only proved to be a first rate jazz singer but also a resourceful entertainer who turned the joint into a boiling pot on that blessed Sunday evening. What started out as a nonchalant classy jazz gig turned into a rambunctious party that lasted until the wee hours of the next morning. Coco probably knew what she was in for when in the middle of her second set she called on the band to play Hernandez’ Hideaway, a tango. She had probably heard of the Finnish affinity for that dance – as the joint was packed with the remainder of a choir from Turku who fully lived up to their reputation. It was not before long that everybody was served severe shots of vodka that had lasting effects on the band as well as the crowd – but I knew then that someday we would record an album together…
While on tour with ‘Big John’ Zhang ling in summer 2014 we met again in the city of the north and decided that now was the time to put our plan into action. So we proceeded with the preparations over the course of a whole year: exchanging ideas, carefully selecting the songs we wanted to record, chatting and planning. Fortunately, my fab Travelogue bandmates were game for our endeavor and we were finally to spend two industrious yet magical days of recording in October 2015. overseeing us and the music in the making was Patrik Schwitter, our never-tiring engineer and co-producer who meticulously put everything into its right place for the finished album you are now about to hear.

THE BAND

Werner Tian Fischer was educated at the Hot Club Escola de Jazz in Lisbon, the Swiss Jazz School in Berne & at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
During the 1990s he fronted the platinum-selling folk/pop-group ‘Starfish’ on their countless live performances throughout Middle & Northern Europe. For several years he expanded his musical horizon on the North American East Coast. In 2007 he initiated the ‘Sam Trümpy Memorial Jazz Coalition’, a transatlantic Jazz Octet.
Since 2004 he has frequently toured the People’s Republic of China and resided in 2010/11 as house guitarist at the legendary CD Blues Cafe & Bar in Beijing. He went on tour with his jazz unit ‘Travelogue’ in China & Europe, featuring Swedish singer Sophie Dunér.
He is a regular member of Zhang Ling’s ‘International CD Blues Band’ that accompanies Chinese and international performers on their concerts in China. Recently they have performed with Song Zuying, Tan Jing, Diane Schuur, Pattie Austin, Yolanda Adams, Jody Watley, Shawn Colvin, Rodney Crowell, Richard Marx, Leo Sayer, Michael Bolton & Lang Lang.

Gabriel Schiltknecht became internationally known in his 20s as the drummer of Schildpatt, of Rene Bardet and Urs Blöchlinger. He played at various festivals such as Montreux, Zürich, Berlin, Sidney and Miami as well as at the world exibitions of Tsukuba (Japan) and Sevilla. He resided from 1991 to 1998 in Ghana where he played and recorded with African artists (e.g. Alain ‘Dodzi’ Apaloo, Atongo, Bernard Woma). In 1999 he went together with his brother Roland on tour in Bolivia and in summer 2004 to a series of concerts in Iran. He has worked continuously with Werner Fischer since 2003 and accompanied him on several concert tours to China.

Coco Rouzier

Coco has been pouring out her own special brew of Straight-Ahead Swinging Jazz in Soulful way for audiences around the globe for almost 20 years. Previous Residencies at various 5 Star hotels/venues have included The Shangri-la China World Summit Wing Hotel in Beijing, CJW Jazz & Blues Bar in Shanghai, The Jazz Bar in Edinburgh, Scotland, as well as festivals and private events around the globe!
Some say it started at the famous Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York City where many of the legends of Soul music made a name for themselves. However, there is only one name that truly mattered to her… Ella Fitzgerald! Others say it was the talent competitions and pageants she entered in as a young girl that gave her the stage confidence she needed allowing her to win the biggest pageant of her lifetime. Coco was crowned Miss H.D. Woodson Sr. High School Queen of 1984!
However, those that knew her growing up in the capitol city of the United States of America – Washington, DC as Debra Worsley, knew by the tender age of 4 that she would be a star.
She began simply by imitating the sounds that came from her talented mother – who inspires her daily before hitting the stage.
She joined the Concert Choir in Jr. High school and worked most summers in Musical Theater. That prepared her for a new chapter in her career – CABARET! The Concert choir taught her harmony. Musical Theater taught her acting. Cabaret taught her how to have an intimate relationship with audiences. New York was also the place where Coco discovered Jazz. She was hired as the Lead Female Vocalist with The Jerry Kravat NY Orchestra (Tribeca Rhythm) for New York’s high society weddings and corporate events in Manhattan’s most prestigious hotels, restaurants and landmarks. After receiving offers to sing in Europe, she began a great adventure that would lead her to some of the countries where Jazz legends and Soul singers performed decades before her. Labeled “The Soulful Songstress” has never lost her way in the music. Coco has been Steady, Soulful, Sassy, Sophisticated and S’wonderful!